* * *
Mrs. Hall seemed surprised to see me when she opened the door.
"Is Cathy home?"
"She's in the kitchen, studying with Alex."
"Oh." I pulled up. I couldn't really talk to her with Alex around. "I'll just catch up with her later. Thanks."
"Jason?" Cathy said from the doorway when I was halfway to the Rover.
"Hey, I didn't mean to interrupt."
She ran down to me. "You have news."
"She's okay, I had to tell someone and well, you're really the only one who can know at this point.
"You don't sound very reassuring."
"Melanie—her sister—"
"I remember her."
"Oh, right, the game. Well, Melanie said you were right, it looks like some kind of trap. She really didn't tell me any more than that."
"But Izzy's okay, right?"
"Not exactly."
She reached down and took my hand in hers. "Come on." I followed her back inside and into the kitchen. "Mom, we're going to need some privacy if that's okay—no, we need privacy Mom, it's important."
"Okay. I'll be upstairs. You boy's behave."
"Yes, ma'am." Alex and I said in unison.
"What's up?" Alex said once Cathy's mom was gone.
Cathy looked at me before she spoke. "Alex, it's time you know something—"
"No!" I interrupted.
Cathy looked back at me and while staring into my eyes, continued. "It's time you know something about me."
"Not sure I like the sound of this." Alex said.
Cathy turned her attention to Alex. "You know I'm not, shall we say normal, but you don't know to what extent."
"Okay," Alex said, apprehensively. "but you're thinking now is the time I should know?"
Cathy glanced at me again and then back to Alex. "Yes."
Alex looked at me. "I'm not going to like this am I?"
"Cathy," I said, "I don't think—"
"Trust me."
I looked at Alex. "Guess she's calling the shots."
Alex took a deep breath and exhaled.
"First the good news," Cathy said, "Izzy is alright."
"Really! That's awesome." But Alex quickly picked up on the unspoken, 'but'.
"She's not actually safe yet," I said, "and we can't tell anyone—not a soul, not even the police or your family. It must remain between the three of us, got it?"
"Sure, okay, I guess."
"No, 'I guess.'" I said. "Honestly, I'm not even okay with you knowing, but I trust Cathy."
"Hey, have a little faith," Alex said. "I'm good with it being on the QT." He looked back at Cathy. "So what are you not saying?"
"Do you remember when Izzy was missing before? Not when Jason went after her—in the spring?"
"Yeah, sure, I remember."
"I helped Jason find her."
"That's cool—wait, do you mean that time in Jason's house when you two were—"
"Yes." Cathy said.
"So how exactly did you help him find her?" Alex asked.
"I guess you could call it telepathy, but I can kind of make myself like a conduit between two people. For reasons I don't understand, it works best with Izzy."
"And?" Alex tested.
Cathy looked at me. "I want to try and help Jason connect with her."
"So like you want me to leave?"
"No, I want you to help." Cathy said. "It works better with three and you like Izzy, right?"
"Sure." Alex squirmed in his chair. "What I have to do?"
Cathy pushed up against him and gave him a kiss. "I knew you would help." She looked at me. "Have a seat." Cathy put her hands on the table, one toward me, the other toward Alex.
"What about the whole transparency thing?" I whispered.
"I won't tell if you won't. Seriously, just block it out and you'll be fine."
"Might be easier said than done."
"What's that?" Alex said.
"You ready?" Cathy said to avoid the subject.
"This isn't going to hurt is it?" Alex said.
I shook my head.
"Alright, lets join hands."
Alex and I grasped Cathy's closest hand and then each other's.
"Now, just close your eyes and concentrate on Izzy—think about only her."
A fog enveloped me, but I concentrated on Izzy trying to cut through the uncertainty—I needed to tell her she was going to be okay. Suddenly, I saw Alex kissing her—the image quickly changed to Alex kissing Cathy. I was pretty sure Cathy did that. I never suspected Alex felt that way about Izzy.
"Concentrate, concentrate." Cathy murmured.
Alex suddenly clasped down on my hand at the same moment an image of Izzy appeared, but before it became clear, Alex's grip loosened. Izzy was chained down on a slab of stone. Her ball gown was shredded and completely stained with blood as was her face. Her body was still, but I could sense the turmoil she was fighting inside. Her eyes—her crimson eyes opened.
"Izzy, it's me. You're going to be okay, we're coming to get you."
There was what seemed like a moment of familiarity before she went wild, straining and thrashing at the chains that bound her. Then, she roared, a primal blood thirsty roar. "I want you!" She heaved one last time against the chains with such force she startled me and presumably Cathy—the connection was broken.
I stood, knocking my chair to the floor.
"Did it work?" Alex said. Apparently Cathy was able to keep what we were seeing from him.
"Thanks Alex, Cathy, I have to go." I headed for the door.
"Is everything alright?" Cathy's mom called down the stairs as I hit the front steps.
I was climbing in the Rover when I heard the front door slam. Cathy ran down the sidewalk to me. I stopped short of closing the door. "You saw her?" I said.
Cathy nodded. "The Izzy we know isn't there. When she said she wanted you—"
"I know. It doesn't matter, I will help her find her way back, I swear. Alex didn't—"
"No, I kept him from seeing her. I'm sorry it didn't turn out the way you wanted." She stepped back. "Good luck tomorrow, I'll be rooting for Izzy too."
"Thanks." I pulled the door closed, started the engine and backed out of her driveway.